Another great manipulator, Melisandre occupies a higher spot on this list than Littlefinger and Varys because she has completely infiltrated the mind of one king who wields institutionalised power: Stannis. Unlike the aforementioned manipulators, Melisandre essentially serves as Stannis's puppeteer: he consults her on every decision he makes and he almost never acts in dissonance with her advice. Melisandre's persuasiveness lies in her religious clout as a priestess of the Lord of Light. She demonstrates her usefulness to Stannis in her utilisation of some sort of black magic to assassinate Renly, and in this, it is easy to see why Stannis values her so much. Indeed, she has turned Stannis into a sort of religious fanatic, and she has asserted herself as the only source of communication with the divine. When Melisandre urges Stannis that he did the right thing by murdering Renly and that he must preserve in the wake of the Battle of Blackwater, she cites the Lord of Light as a source, shows Stannis a vision in a flame, and quickly restores his faith both in the Lord of Light and in her as a key source of advice. Given Stannis's charismatic void as a leader but rightful claim to the Iron Throne, he is a perfect vehicle for Melisandre to assert herself. He makes the perfect puppet ruler, and Melisandre has capitalised on that. Going into season four, Melisandre has convinced Stannis to move north to the Wall, demonstrating that her influence is as present as it ever was.
Joseph is a student at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, double majoring in Ancient Greek and Religious Studies. He has a deep passion for TV and consumes as much of it as possible.
